Bacara is pleased to open its famed 12,000-bottle Wine Cellar for an elegant dinner masterfully paired with wine treasures by Santa Barbara’s only Master Sommelier Brian McClintic. The evening begins with a champagne reception followed by an exquisite four-course tasting menu by Miró Chef Johan Denizot. Each course will be paired with a flight of two wines: one from Santa Barbara County and one from its Old World counterpart, such as a Santa Rita Hills Pinot and Burgundy.

Set within the luxurious surroundings of the 12,000-bottle Miró Wine Cellar, imported French stones, original artwork, rustic candelabras and a grand fireplace will create the unmistakable allure of a dining along the Iberian Peninsula. Adding to the ambiance will be stunning floral displays by the resort’s Creative Director Lorrene Balzani.

7 to 9 p.m. – Exquisite five-course tasting menu by Miró Chef Johan Denizot, elegantly presented by Bacara’s Creative Director Lorrene Balzani in the Miró Wine Cellar. Each course will be masterfully paired with a flight of two wines: one from Santa Barbara County and one from its Old World counterpart by MS Brian McClintic. “This unique combination will allow diners to appreciate the wines for their ability to elevate a dish. Julia would have wanted it that way!” says McClintic.

Space is very limited. $250 a person.

SOLD OUT

About Brian McClinitic

While McClintic has a firm grasp on all things wine (he is the subject of the 2013 documentary film, SOMM, which chronicles his journey to the elusive Master Sommelier title – becoming the 107th in the U.S. to achieve this honor), everything else about his persona and approach to the mysterious world of wine quickly dispels other images that have been portrayed and turns them into myths. A published author with the Guild of Sommeliers and a 2010 Top Somm finalist in the U.S. Sommelier Championship, Brian McClintic’s goal is to share his extensive knowledge in easy-to-understand terms in an environment that encourages a sense of community.

After pursuing careers in baseball and screenwriting, McClintic found his calling in the hospitality industry, working in major restaurants in Los Angeles and San Francisco as a wine rep. It was while working at The Little Nell Resort in Aspen, his nose for wine took a definitive due north course and pointed him toward the elusive, challenging direction of becoming a sommelier. A chance encounter in San Francisco brought him together with Eric Railsback and changed the course of both their lives and careers. They spent nine weeks together talking about wine, the restaurants and wine bars they’d seen over a collective 25 years in the hospitality industry and imagining the perfect project they could create together. They hatched a business plan and quietly began working toward that goal.

A serendipitous phone call from Sherry Villanueva quickly transformed their concept from one that existed in writing into a burgeoning vision that is becoming a Santa Barbara reality. Villanueva’s sensibilities and ideas so complement their own, that Les Marchands Wine Bar & Merchant is destined to become a destination for visitors and locals alike who are seeking a communal locale to share food and wine without pretense or intimidation.

About Chef Johan Denizot

With an Italian mother, a French father and a resume that includes time in Switzerland and France, Miró Chef de Cuisine Johan Denizot brings world-class experience to the threshold of Miró’s front door.

Born in Pontarlier, France, Johan’s culinary career began at a young age working at his uncle’s restaurants. However, a culinary career was not in Denizot’s original plan. His first love was music. Born into a musically-gifted family, Johan’s first live performance took place at age 11 as a participant in France’s Fete de la Musique. When he was older, he formed a heavy-metal band which toured through France and Switzerland.

Johan eventually came full circle to become an accomplished chef for one reason: cooking allowed him to afford expensive music equipment. That was the catalyst that landed Johan, at 15 years old, in the Lycee Toussaint l’ouverture Culinary School in Pontarlier, France. It was there he studied pastry and chocolate making, making his way to Lausanne, Switzerland and then the French Alps.

Eventually America’s call was too strong. Johan’s first stop was Denver followed by San Francisco at Annabelle’s Bar & Bistro. “I loved the diversity, the people and the creativity of San Francisco,” says Johan. From there, he was introduced to Santa Barbara and the Santa Ynez Valley, which reminded him of home.

Johan established roots working two years in Santa Ynez kitchens before finding his place as the Chef de Cuisine at the Alisal Guest Ranch and then Root 246 where he worked alongside award-winning chef Bradley Ogden. Today, Johan adds his influence to Bacara’s Forbes four-star rated restaurant, Miró. Diners enjoy innovative New American cuisine with a contemporary twist on dishes from around the globe.